


Green, not purple

by Nary



Category: Diablotin
Genre: Adoption, Adorable, Children, Gen, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Orphanage, Unconventional Families
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-21
Updated: 2012-04-21
Packaged: 2017-11-04 00:58:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/387906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Ilyana," called the matron, beckoning the child over.  She came obediently to stand before them.  "This is M. and Mme. Orecalo."  Sanadhil did not bother to correct her, either on the pronunciation or on the technicalities of his and Dozilva's relationship.  "They are going to take you home now."</p><p>The little girl stared up at them with enormous green eyes.  <i>Elven eyes,</i> San thought, although apart from her hair the child could have passed for fully human.  True, her skin was unusually pale, and her ears tapered ever so slightly, but she would be able to blend in.  "Home?" she said uncertainly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green, not purple

"She's so small," Dozilva whispered, clasping Sanadhil's hand more tightly. "I thought you said she was three! Did they feed her enough?"

"They claim they do," San said dryly, thinking of his own childhood. "Maybe the bigger children steal her food."

The object of their hushed speculation was sitting quietly in the yard, somewhat apart from the other orphans, playing a solitary game with twigs and pebbles. Her hair, pure white, was pulled back into neat pigtails and her uniform was clean, if somewhat too large for her skinny frame.

"Ilyana," called the matron, beckoning the child over. She came obediently to stand before them. "This is M. and Mme. Orecalo." Sanadhil did not bother to correct her, either on the pronunciation or on the technicalities of his and Dozilva's relationship. "They are going to take you home now."

The little girl stared up at them with enormous green eyes. _Elven eyes,_ San thought, although apart from her hair the child could have passed for fully human. True, her skin was unusually pale, and her ears tapered ever so slightly, but she would be able to blend in. "Home?" she said uncertainly.

"Home to our house," San told her, mustering a smile. 

"There are toys there," Dozilva added, "and... what sort of food do you like best, Ilyana?" 

"Grapes," she answered promptly. "Green ones, not purple ones."

"Then we will have some green grapes when we get there too," Dozilva promised, holding out her hand.

Still Ilyana hung back, not reaching out for her. San could understand her wariness. It probably all sounded strange and frightening, no matter how many toys or treats she was promised. He crouched down, bringing himself to her level. "It will be all right," he said softly. "We're your family, and we're going to take care of you forever."

Ilyana crept shyly up to him then and put her arms around his neck so that he could pick her up. She weighed next to nothing, skin and bones, he thought, as she buried her little face in his shoulder. He held her while Dozilva made the final arrangements and signed the necessary papers with the matron, and she sat nestled in his lap in the cab home, gripping his tunic in one pale fist and sucking her thumb. 

_We're doing the right thing,_ San thought to Dozilva, as much reassuring himself as anything.

 _Yes,_ she agreed. _It should really be the mother's family, whoever they are, but obviously I can't expect humans to follow proper standards of morality._

San smiled slightly at that. He knew how very much Dozilva had wanted a daughter of her line, even though she loved her sons and considered Em as much her child as Arek's. Maybe for her this was the next best thing. 

"We have to stop and pick up some grapes on the way," Dozilva said aloud, and San nodded, giving the instruction to the driver. While Dozilva descended at a market stand, Sanadhil found himself stroking the back of the little girl - his granddaughter, he was as sure as he could possibly be - who looked up at him solemnly. "Monsieur?" she said in a hesitant voice.

"My children mostly call me San. You may too, if you want," he told her. "Did you have a question?"

She nodded. "Where will I sleep at your house?"

"You can choose," he said. "You can have a room all of your own, with your very own bed, or if that's too lonely, you can sleep in with my daughter. Her name is Em, and she's quite a big girl now, eleven, but I know she'd be happy to share with you if that's what you want."

Ilyana's face fell. "Not with you?"

San hesitated only briefly. "If you need anything in the night, or you're scared, you can always come and find me, or one of the other grown-ups, and we'll help you."

That seemed to be enough to reassure her. "I like you, San," she said, and put her thumb back into her mouth, nestling her head up against him.

"Well, good," he said, mildly surprised. None of his children, except perhaps Xan, had taken to him so readily at such a young age. But perhaps, he thought, having raised five of them now, he was more relaxed around small people than he had been at the beginning. Besides, it helped that the girl seemed to be clever, articulate for her age, quiet and well-behaved. He knew the final two might not last, once she settled in and came out of her shell, but he was enjoying it for the time being. "I like you too, Ilyana."

By the time Dozilva returned with the grapes, the child had fallen asleep with San's arm curled around her.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


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